Jesus and the Disinherited [Paperback]

Howard Thurman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 30, 1996

In this classic theological treatise, the acclaimed theologian and religious leader Howard Thurman (1900-1981) demonstrates how the gospel may be read as a manual of resistance for the poor and disenfranchised. Jesus is a partner in the pain of the oppressed and the example of His life offers a solution to ending the descent into moral nihilism. Hatred does not empower--it decays. Only through self-love and love of one another can God's justice prevail.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hailed by Life magazine as one of the great preachers of the twentieth century; a spiritual advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr., Sherwood Eddy, James Farmer, A. J. Musty, and Pauli Murray; the first black dean at a white university; cofounder of the first interracially pastored, intercultural church in the United States; Howard Thurman (1899-1981) was a man of penetrating foresight and astonishing charisma. His vision of the world was one of a democratic camaraderie born of faith, and in light of today's global community, one of particular importance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 124 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press; Reprint edition (November 30, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807010294
• ISBN-13: 978-0807010297
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.3 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Howard Thurman (1900-1981) was the first black dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University and cofounder of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco, California, the first inter-racially copastored church in America.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Victory in respecting personality July 25, 2007

By E. Witham

Format:Paperback

I tracked down Jesus and the Disinherited after reading Richard Lischer's fine study of Martin Luther King Jr, Preacher King. Howard Thurman, I had learned, was an influence on Martin Luther King Jr. A scholarly Christian reflecting on the African-American experience, he preached non-violence long before it was fashionable. As the back cover states, this is "an influential book whose message helped shape the civil rights movement and changed our nation's history for ever."
Thurman compares the situation of African-Americans to that of the Jews in the time of Jesus. He analyzes the psychological effects of oppression on individuals. He describes the strategies oppressed people adopt for survival based on fear, deception and hate. Fear teaches our body to avoid confrontation with a member of the dominant community, we use double talk so as not to attract negative attention, and our only possible response becomes hatred which keeps us from moral disintegration.
Jesus' call to love enemies was revolutionary. Genuine love must be a mutual recognition of the dominant and oppressed communities as human beings. Genuine love at an individual level (I hate all Asians, but this person I know to be a human being) may lead to an exceptionalism which does not remove the deep hatred of the others collectively.
Thurman concludes, "What, then, is the word of the religion of Jesus to those who stand with their backs against the wall? ... They must recognize fear, deception, hatred, each for what it is. Once having done this, they must learn how to destroy these or to render themselves immune to their domination." (p. 108)
The power of this book derives from Thurman's own experience of oppression and his analysis of Jesus' own experience of minority. It is not betrayal to love our enemies; it is a victory when the dominant and oppressed communities respect each other as equals.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a compassionate look at God's work in our lives January 10, 1998

By [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

This book was my first introduction to Howard Thurman but it won't be my last. This gentle yet passionate look at Jesus offers insight into God's and our own relationship with the poor as well as some profound pathways to understanding racism. The cover note on the back reads..."an important and influential book whose message helped shape the civil rights movement and changed our nation's history forever." All I know is that this book has changed my own personal history and I will read it again and again.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom for the non-believer April 6, 2000

By Jim Tumber

Format:Paperback

Its is purported that Martin Luther King carried this book with him at all times, and upon reading these pages one can see immdiately that this book isn't just a tome of Christianity, but rather a blueprint for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. But in a larger sense this book is a guide for transcending the heartache and humiliation of modern life and renewing one's vision of a spirited public and personal life.